Róa
{{Short description|2025 single by Væb}}
{{redirect-distinguish|RÓA|Roa (disambiguation){{!}}Roa|ROA (disambiguation){{!}}ROA}}
{{use dmy dates|date=March 2024}}
{{Infobox song
| name = {{lang|is|Róa|i=no}}
| cover = File:Væb - Róa cover art.jpg
| alt =
| type = single
| artist = Væb
| album =
| released = 17 January 2025
| genre = Electrofolk{{Cite web|url=https://yle.fi/a/7-10074982|title=Ranking: Här är alla 37 bidrag i årets Eurovision Song Contest|lang=sv|date=5 April 2025|first=Eva|last=Frantz|publisher=Yle|access-date=9 April 2025}}
| length = 2:42
| label = Alda Music
| writer =
| composer =
- Gunnar Björn Gunnarsson
- Hálfdán Helgi Matthíasson
- {{ill|Ingi Þór Garðarsson|is|Ingi Bauer}}
- Matthías Davíð Matthíasson
| lyricist =
- Hálfdán Helgi Matthíasson
- Ingi Þór Garðarsson
- Matthías Davíð Matthíasson
| producer =
- Matthías Davíð Matthíasson
- Ingi Bauer
| prev_title = {{lang|is|Til hamingju|i=no}}
| prev_year = 2024
| next_title = {{langr|is|Sótt honum}}
| next_year = 2025
| misc = {{External music video|{{YouTube|s9P83Nl6D1M|"Róa"}}}}
{{Infobox song contest entry
| embed = yes
| year = 2025
| country = Iceland
| artist = Væb
| language = Icelandic
| composer = {{unbulleted list|Gunnar Björn Gunnarsson|Hálfdán Helgi Matthíasson|Ingi Þór Garðarsson|Matthías Davíð Matthíasson}}
| lyricist = {{unbulleted list|Hálfdán Helgi Matthíasson|Ingi Þór Garðarsson|Matthías Davíð Matthíasson}}
| place =
| points =
| place_semi =
| points_semi =
| prev = Scared of Heights
| prev_year = 2024
| prev_link = Scared of Heights
| next =
| next_year =
| next_link =
}}
}}
"Róa" (stylised as "RÓA"; {{IPA|is|ˈrouːa|pron}}; {{translation|"Row"}}) is a song by Icelandic electronic music duo Væb. The song was released on 17 January 2025 and was written by Gunnar Björn Gunnarsson, Hálfdán Helgi Matthíasson, {{ill|Ingi Þór Garðarsson|is|Ingi Bauer}}, and Matthías Davíð Matthíasson. It will {{esccnty|Iceland|y=2025|t=represent Iceland}} in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. It reached number one in their home country.
Reception
Prior to {{lang|is|Söngvakeppnin}} 2025, Icelandic online newspaper DV reported that "{{lang|is|Róa|i=no}}" was accused of resembling the song "{{lang|he-latn|Hatunat HaShana|i=no}}" by Israeli singers {{ill|Itay Levi|he|איתי לוי}} and Eyal Golan.{{cite newspaper |last=Gudjónsdóttir |first=Gudrun Wish |date=21 January 2025 |title=Ísraelsmenn saka VÆB um að hafa stolið þekktu lagi |trans-title=The Israelis accuse VÆB of having stolen a known song |url=https://www.dv.is/fokus/2025/1/21/israelsmenn-saka-vaeb-um-ad-hafa-stolid-thekktu-lagi/ |access-date=23 January 2025 |newspaper=DV |lang=is}} A video was then posted on the online platform TikTok comparing the two songs.{{cite newspaper |last=Gunnarsson |first=Oddur Ævar |date=3 January 2025 |title=Meintur stuldur á borð RÚV |trans-title=Allegedly stolen on board RÚV |url=https://www.visir.is/g/20252678258d/meintur-stuldur-a-bord-ruv |access-date=23 January 2025 |newspaper=Vísir.is}} The duo denied the allegations, and the {{lang|is|Söngvakeppnin}} board of directors sought advice from the Composers Rights Society of Iceland (STEF) to determine the similarity of the two songs.{{cite web |last=Gunnarsdóttir |first=Þorgerður Anna |date=21 January 2025 |title=RÓA sakað um að líkjast ísraelsku popplagi |trans-title=RÓA accused of sounding like an Israeli pop song |url=https://www.ruv.is/frettir/innlent/2025-01-21-roa-sakad-um-ad-likjast-israelsku-popplagi-433765 |access-date=23 January 2025 |work=RÚV |lang=is}} Following its {{lang|is|Söngvakeppnin}} win, {{Ill|Ofir Cohen|he|אופיר כהן (מוזיקאי)}}, who wrote "{{lang|he-latn|Hatunat HaShana|i=no}}", sent a letter requesting the European Broadcasting Union (EBU) to disqualify "{{lang|is|Róa|i=no}}" from the contest;{{Cite web |last=Stollero |first=Nathan |date=2025-02-25 |title=יוצר השיר "חתונת השנה" לאיגוד השידור האירופי: "פסלו את השיר האיסלנדי לאלתר" |trans-title=Creator of the song "Wedding of the Year" to the European Broadcasting Union: "Disqualify the Icelandic song immediately" |url=https://www.israelhayom.co.il/culture/music/article/17431644 |access-date=2025-02-25 |website=Israel Hayom |language=he}} the EBU responded by redirecting Cohen to resolve the matter with RÚV.{{Cite web |last=Cohen |first=Ido David |date=2025-03-20 |title=בשל הדמיון ל"חתונת השנה", הוקפאו התמלוגים ליוצרי השיר האיסלנדי לאירוויזיון |trans-title=Due to the similarity to "Wedding of the Year", royalties for the creators of the Icelandic Eurovision song were frozen |url=https://www.haaretz.co.il/gallery/music/eurovision/2025-03-20/ty-article/.premium/00000195-b42e-dcee-a7b7-bf3f4b460000 |access-date=2025-03-21 |website=Haaretz |language=he}} RÚV later concluded that the song in question did not exhibit sufficient substantive similarity to constitute plagiarism.{{cite web |last=Guðmundsdóttir |first=Ingibjörg Sara |date=27 January 2025 |title=Flest Eurovisionlög hljómi kunnuglega |trans-title=Most Eurovision songs sound familiar |url=https://www.ruv.is/frettir/menning-og-daegurmal/2025-02-27-flest-eurovisionlog-hljomi-kunnuglega-437513 |access-date=28 January 2025 |work=RÚV |lang=is}}
Eurovision Song Contest 2025
{{Main|Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest 2025}}
= <i lang="is">Söngvakeppnin</i> ''2025'' =
{{lang|is|Söngvakeppnin}} 2025 was the national final organised by RÚV in order to select its entry for the Eurovision Song Contest 2025. It consisted of two semi-finals on 8 and 15 February 2025 and a final on 22 February at RVK Studios located in northern Reykjavík. The semi-final qualifiers were determined by televoting, while a combination of seven international juries and public votes were used to determine the results of the final.{{cite web |date=13 January 2025 |last=Farren |first=Neil |url=https://eurovoix.com/2025/01/03/iceland-songvakeppnin-2025-dates-format-changes-announced/ |title=🇮🇸 Iceland: Söngvakeppnin 2025 Dates & Format Changes Announced |work=Eurovoix News |access-date=15 January 2025}} There was no superfinal round in the final for the first time since 2013.{{cite web |date=3 January 2025 |last=Aradóttir |first=Júlía |url=https://www.ruv.is/frettir/menning-og-daegurmal/2025-01-03-einvigid-fellt-ut-i-songvakeppninni-2025-432184 |title=Einvígið fellt út í Söngvakeppninni 2025 |trans-title=The duel was canceled in Söngvakeppninn 2025 |work=RÚV |access-date=15 January 2025}}{{cite newspaper |date=3 January 2025 |last=Gunnarsson |first=Oddur Ævar |url=https://www.visir.is/g/20252670829d/ekkert-einvigi-i-songvakeppninni-2025 |title=Ekkert einvígi í Söngvakeppninni 2025 |trans-title=No duel in Söngvakeppninn 2025 |newspaper=Vísir.is |access-date=15 January 2025}}
"Róa" was officially announced to compete in the competition on 17 January 2025 in the programme {{lang|is|Lögin í Söngvakeppninni}}.{{cite web |date=7 January 2025 |url=https://thateurovisionsite.com/2024/12/07/songvakeppnin-entries-revealed-january/ |title=🇮🇸 Söngvakeppnin 2025 entries to be announced on the 17th of January |work=That Eurovision Site |access-date=15 January 2025}}{{cite web |date=17 January 2025 |last=Björnsdóttir |first=Anna María |url=https://www.ruv.is/frettir/menning-og-daegurmal/2025-01-17-thessi-tiu-log-verda-i-songvakeppninni-2025-432948 |title=Þessi tíu lög verða í Söngvakeppninni 2025 |trans-title=These ten songs will be in Söngvakeppninn 2025 |work=RÚV |access-date=18 January 2025 |lang=is}}
At the competition, it was placed into the first semi-final, and was drawn to perform fifth; they managed to pass the semi-finals and reach the final.{{cite web |date=22 January 2025 |last=Björnsdóttir |first=Anna María |url=https://www.ruv.is/frettir/menning-og-daegurmal/2025-01-22-uppselt-a-urslitakvold-songvakeppninnar-433862 |title=Uppselt á úrslitakvöld Söngvakeppninnar |trans-title=Sold out on the final night of Söngvakeppninn |work=RÚV |access-date=23 January 2025 |lang=is}}{{cite web |date=8 February 2025 |last=Einarsdóttir |first=Júlía Margrét |url=https://www.ruv.is/frettir/menning-og-daegurmal/2025-02-08-vaeb-stebbi-jak-og-agust-afram-i-urslit-songvakeppninnar-435780 |title=VÆB, Stebbi Jak og Ágúst áfram í úrslit Söngvakeppninnar |trans-title=VÆB, Stebbi Jak and Ágúst continue to the finals of Söngvakeppninn |work=RÚV |access-date=9 February 2025 |lang=is}} Róa was later declared the winning song of the event, after being the favourite of the jury and the public; thus, Væb earned the right to represent the Icelandic nation at the Eurovision Song Contest 2025.{{cite web|language = is|url = https://www.ruv.is/frettir/menning-og-daegurmal/2025-02-22-vaeb-vinna-songvakeppnina-2025-436885|title = VÆB vinna Söngvakeppnina 2025|author = Anna María Björnsdóttir|website = Ríkisútvarpið|date = 22 February 2025|access-date = 23 February 2025}}{{cite web|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/songvakeppnin-winners-vaeb-representing-iceland-basel|title='Söngvakeppnin' winners VÆB will head to Basel for Iceland|date=22 February 2025|access-date=22 February 2025|publisher=Eurovision Song Contest}}
= At Eurovision =
The Eurovision Song Contest 2025 will take place at St. Jakobshalle in Basel, Switzerland, and will consist of two semi-finals to be held on the respective dates of 13 and 15 May and the final on 17 May 2025.{{cite web|date=2024-08-30|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/basel-will-host-eurovision-song-contest-2025|title=Basel will host Eurovision Song Contest 2025|website=Eurovision.TV|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=2025-01-28}} During the allocation draw held on 28 January 2025, Iceland was drawn to compete in the first semi-final, performing in the first half of the show.{{cite press release|date=2025-01-28|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2025-semi-final-draw-results|title=Eurovision 2025: Semi-Final Draw Results|website=Eurovision.TV|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=2025-01-31}} Iceland was then scheduled by the producers of the contest to open the first semi-final, performing first.{{cite web|date=2025-03-27|url=https://eurovision.tv/story/eurovision-2025-semi-final-running-orders|title=Eurovision 2025: Semi-Final Running Orders revealed|website=Eurovision.TV|publisher=European Broadcasting Union|access-date=2025-03-28}}
Charts
| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center"
|+ Chart performance for "Róa" ! scope="col"| Chart (2025) ! scope="col"| Peak |
| scope="row"| Iceland (Tónlistinn){{cite web|url=https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/|title=Tónlistinn – Lög: Streymi, spilun og sala viku 9. Birt 1. mars 2025 – Næst uppfært 8. mars 2025.|trans-title=The Music – Songs: Streaming, Plays and Sales Week 9. Published 1 March 2025 – Last updated 8 March 2025|language=is|publisher=Plötutíðindi|access-date=1 March 2025|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20250301034714/https://plotutidindi.is/tonlistinn/|archive-date=1 March 2025|url-status=dead}}
| 1 |
|---|
References
{{reflist}}
{{Iceland in the Eurovision Song Contest|state=collapsed}}
{{Eurovision Song Contest 2025|state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Roa}}
Category:Eurovision songs of 2025
Category:Eurovision songs of Iceland